Written Answers Monday 11 May 2009

Scottish Executive

Animal Welfare

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers the links are between animal health and food and drink policy.

Richard Lochhead: A successful food and drink industry requires high-quality inputs. Animal health and welfare provides a significant support to a successful food and drink sector through its contribution to product quality and food safety.

Antisocial Behaviour

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many community service orders have been delayed as a result of the Glasgow community safety workers’ strike.

Kenny MacAskill: We understand that there is currently a backlog of approximately 300 new community service orders within Glasgow for which a team placement will be required when the current industrial dispute is resolved.

Apprenticeships

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost per annum is of a modern apprenticeship.

Fiona Hyslop: The cost of an apprenticeship varies significantly due to different approaches to organising training and learning across different employers. This makes it impossible to accurately calculate a meaningful average.

  As part of the Evaluation of Modern Apprenticeships and Skillseekers (2006), undertaken by Cambridge Policy Consultants, case study interviews were undertaken with employers and these were designed to consider the issues surrounding the full costs of training. The estimated total costs of training varied from just under £14,500 from a young person following a Level 2 VQ in a service sector occupation to £31,500 for modern apprenticeship trainees following manufacturing training frameworks.

  The average contribution rate by SDS for apprentices varies from £1,500 for customer service (Level 2) occupations to £9,000 for engineering related occupations at Level 3.

British-Irish Council

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when and where the next meeting of the British-Irish Council is expected to be held and what will be on the agenda, with particular reference to energy issues.

Michael Russell: The next summit meeting of the British-Irish Council is scheduled to take place in October in Jersey; however the agenda is yet to be determined.

Construction Industry

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to boost the construction industry in Dundee.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Budget and the concordat signed by the Scottish Government and COSLA provided for significant growth in the capital resources being made available to local authorities. This has enabled local authorities to deploy resources increasingly flexibly according to their own local needs and priorities.

  Examples of new investment in Dundee which will benefit the construction industry in the area are:

  the construction of Dundee House, the city council’s new offices, which will begin this year;

  the Dundee Central Waterfront project, a £70 million partnership project between the council and Scottish Enterprise which aims to transform the Tayside economy by creating a new central business district which will secure existing and attract new high value service sector jobs. A funding package for Dundee Central Waterfront was agreed in March;

  Dundee City Council’s £90 million Schools PPP project which consists of six new build Primary Schools and two new build Secondary Schools currently in construction;

  the council’s proposals totalling nearly £20 million for four new Primary Schools to further improve the school estate in Dundee, and

  the council’s £16.7 million investment to modernise St John’s High; the extension of Forthill Primary; a further £11.5 million to be spent on a replacement for Whitfield and Newfields Primaries, and a £15 million replacement for Kingspark School.

  The Scottish Government is also providing £10 million to Dundee City Council this financial year to support the provision of affordable housing in line with the strategic priorities set out in the councils Strategic Housing Investment Plan.

Digital Technology

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that super-fast broadband connections are available in (a) east and (b) south Ayrshire.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government’s broadband commitment currently extends to provision of basic broadband services (512Kbps), which is already available to over 99% of the population. The known demand in the so-called broadband "not spots" is being addressed through the Broadband Reach Project, due for completion at the end of May 2009.

  Whilst the Scottish Government currently has no policy on provision of next-generation broadband, BT has already announced its plans to roll-out super-fast broadband to parts of Edinburgh and Glasgow from 2010. Government officials will continue to liaise closely with BT to encourage it to grow its investment in super-fast broadband across Scotland.

Digital Technology

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that online communication networks are safe from cyber attacks.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has implemented the provisions of the Police and Justice Act 2006 which amend the Computer Misuse Act 1990. These ensure that there are adequate and more effective penalties for the offence of unauthorised access to computer material, and that there is adequate provision to criminalise all forms of denial of service attacks, to reflect the seriousness of these activities. These changes are in line with the EU Framework Decision on Attacks Against Information Systems, and the Council of Europe Cybercrime Convention.

Education

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16622 by Maureen Watt on 24 October 2008, how many secondary schools did not have a permanent head teacher in post at the start of the 2008-09 school year, broken down by local authority.

Keith Brown: The number of secondary schools in each local authority without a substantive grade permanent head teacher at the September 2008 census is shown in the following table. In cases where there is temporarily no head teacher there will generally be an acting head.

  

 
No Head Teacher
Head Teacher with Temporary Contract
Head Teacher with Permanent Contract


 Aberdeen City
 1
 -
 11


 Aberdeenshire
 2
 1
 14


 Angus
 -
 -
 8


 Argyll and Bute
 1
 -
 9


 Clackmannanshire
 -
 -
 3


 Dumfries and Galloway
 -
 -
 16


 Dundee City
 1
 -
 9


 East Ayrshire
 -
 -
 9


 East Dunbartonshire
 -
 1
 7


 East Lothian
 -
 -
 6


 East Renfrewshire
 -
 -
 7


 Edinburgh City
 2
 2
 19


 Eilean Siar
 1
 1
 9


 Falkirk
 -
 -
 8


 Fife
 -
 -
 19


 Glasgow City
 -
 1
 29


 Highland
 1
 2
 27


 Inverclyde
 -
 -
 7


 Midlothian
 -
 -
 6


 Moray
 -
 -
 8


 North Ayrshire
 -
 -
 9


 North Lanarkshire
 1
 -
 23


 Orkney Islands
 -
 1
 5


 Perth and Kinross
 2
 -
 8


 Renfrewshire
 1
 -
 10


 Scottish Borders
 -
 -
 9


 Shetland Islands
 1
 -
 8


 South Ayrshire
 -
 -
 8


 South Lanarkshire
 2
 -
 15


 Stirling
 -
 -
 7


 West Dunbartonshire
 1
 1
 4


 West Lothian
 -
 -
 11

Education

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16621 by Maureen Watt on 29 September 2008, how many primary schools did not have a permanent head teacher in post at the start of the 2008-09 school year, broken down by local authority.

Keith Brown: The number of primary schools in each local authority without a substantive grade permanent head teacher at the September 2008 census is shown in the following table. In cases where there is temporarily no head teacher there will generally be an acting head.

  

 
No. Head Teacher
Head Teacher with Temporary Contract
Head Teacher with Permanent Contract


 Aberdeen City
 3
 1
 45


 Aberdeenshire
 5
 5
 142


 Angus
 2
 2
 51


 Argyll and Bute
 6
 -
 79


 Clackmannanshire
 1
 -
 18


 Dumfries and Galloway
 7
 2
 97


 Dundee City
 2
 -
 35


 East Ayrshire
 1
 1
 44


 East Dunbartonshire
 2
 -
 35


 East Lothian
 2
 1
 32


 East Renfrewshire
 2
 1
 21


 Edinburgh City
 2
 1
 91


 Eilean Siar
 2
 2
 32


 Falkirk
 2
 1
 46


 Fife
 1
 8
 133


 Glasgow City
 11
 8
 148


 Highland
 4
 10
 169


 Inverclyde
 1
 -
 23


 Midlothian
 1
 -
 29


 Moray
 1
 2
 43


 North Ayrshire
 -
 -
 53


 North Lanarkshire
 8
 -
 119


 Orkney Islands
 -
 3
 18


 Perth and Kinross
 3
 7
 66


 Renfrewshire
 1
 2
 48


 Scottish Borders
 1
 16
 48


 Shetland Islands
 3
 -
 29


 South Ayrshire
 -
 -
 44


 South Lanarkshire
 3
 4
 118


 Stirling
 1
 1
 40


 West Dunbartonshire
 1
 -
 33


 West Lothian
 1
 -
 65

Education

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to ensure that there are pupil counselling services in all secondary schools.

Keith Brown: All pupils at all stages of secondary education should be able to expect a high quality of personal support in school.

  The HM Inspectorate of Education report, Improving Scottish Education, published in January 2009 states, with regard to secondary schools, "The quality of pastoral care for young people and the positive ethos overall are strengths in almost all schools. This is reflected in what young people themselves say. In almost all schools, climate and relationships are constructive and engaging."

  It is for local authorities and schools to ensure that they have plans and strategies in place to allow schools to provide appropriate support in those circumstances where a pupil requires access to specialist counselling services.

Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals were successfully prosecuted under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 in the Lothian and Borders police force area in 2007-08.

Kenny MacAskill: There were 45 persons with a charge proved under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, where this was the main offence, in the Lothian and Borders police force area in 2007-08.

Employment

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of employment opportunities available in (a) east and (b) south Ayrshire.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government remains focused on delivering our core purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth across Scotland, including in Ayrshire.

  Through our Government Economic Strategy and our six-point programme for economic recovery, we are using all the levers at our disposal to lead Scotland out of this downturn and position our economy to take early advantage of the recovery.

  This includes the acceleration of nearly £293 million in capital expenditure into 2009-10, on top of £30 million in 2008-09, supporting 5,800 jobs across Scotland. Many of these employment opportunities will be in Ayrshire.

Energy

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the definition of constrained off payments made to electricity generators by the national grid.

Jim Mather: National Grid define constraints as where the UK electricity grid system is unable to transmit the power supplied to the location of demand due to congestion or system outages at one or more parts of the transmission network. An example of this is the Cheviot Interconnector between Scotland and England.

  In the event the system is unable to flow electricity in the way required, National Grid can request that generation from certain power station is reduced. A constrained off payment, or constraint payment is made to compensate the power station for these losses at prices agreed through rates identified in the Electricity Balancing market.

Energy

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how much has been paid in constrained off payments by the national grid and how this compares to payments made in the rest of the United Kingdom in each of the last 12 months for which information is available.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government do not hold information on constraints costs. Ofgem, however, published what it considers to be detail on actual and forecast constraints costs on 17 February 2009. These are set out in the following table. We understand these estimates are currently being challenged by the Scottish energy industry.

  Ofgem figures on Constraints Costs

  

 
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09*
 2009-10*


Total Constraints costs(£ million)
 84.0
 108.0
 70.0
 238.0
 262.0


 Total volume of Actions in GB (GWh)
 
 4,976
 9,605


 Average Price of Actions in GB (£/MWh)
 47.8
 27.4


 Constraints costs arising from Scottish Actions
 70.0
 80.0
 42.0
 210.0
 212.0


 Total Volume of Actions in Scotland (GWh)
 
 4,430
 3,538


 Average Price of Actions in Scotland
 47.5
 60.0



  Notes:

  *Latest Forecast.

  Constraint cost volume and prices are comprised of a multitude of different types of actions.

Energy

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make a decision on the inquiry into the Beauly to Denny transmission line.

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21310 on 9 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Energy Efficiency

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects the energy efficiency action plan to contribute to its target for reducing emissions by 2010.

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the energy efficiency action plan will contribute to its target for reducing emissions by 2010.

Jim Mather: The Energy Efficiency Action Plan is due to be published before the end of 2009. A number of actions which will be included in the plan are already in operation, or due for launch during the course of this year. These actions are expected to contribute to the annual targets set by the Bill from 2010 and beyond.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether budget and resources will be made available in addition to the £15 million identified for the Home Insulation Scheme for publicity and promotion of the scheme and, if so, to what value.

Alex Neil: The bulk of the publicity and promotion costs of the scheme are expected to be met from within the £15 million of Scottish Government funding allocated to the first phase of this scheme. Some complementary investment for these purposes may also be contributed by partners.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when the first insulation installations will be carried out under the Home Insulation Scheme.

Alex Neil: The first installations of insulation under the scheme will take place later this year.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how eligibility for reduced-cost insulation under the Home Insulation Scheme by means-testing will be determined and how the level of householder contribution will be calculated.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any non-financial criteria will be used to determine eligibility for reduced-cost insulation under the Home Insulation Scheme and, if so, what impact such criteria will have on the level of any householder contribution.

Alex Neil: Aspects of the Home Insulation Scheme, including eligibility for free or reduced cost measures, are still being finalised.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of households will be eligible for free insulation measures under the eligibility criteria to be used for the Home Insulation Scheme and what proportion of the population lives in these households.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of households will be eligible for reduced-cost insulation measures under the criteria to be used for the Home Insulation Scheme, broken down by the level of reduction, and what proportion of the population lives in these households.

Alex Neil: The proportion of households eligible for free insulation measures will depend on a range of factors including the eligibility criteria agreed and the characteristics of the areas selected.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, in the case of rented accommodation, whether any contributions towards the cost of insulation measures under the Home Insulation Scheme will be sought from tenants or landlords.

Alex Neil: Contributions towards the cost of insulation measures under the Home Insulation Scheme may be sought from landlords and/or tenants.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the deployment of the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10 is on a pilot basis, with various options for delivery in subsequent years being considered, or whether one model for the scheme has been agreed for use across the whole of Scotland.

Alex Neil: The implementation of the Home Insulation Scheme will be evaluated with a view to informing the development of the scheme in subsequent years.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive in which areas the Home Insulation Scheme will be deployed in 2009-10 and what proportion of the population resides in these areas.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how the areas selected for the first year’s deployment of the Home Insulation Scheme were chosen.

Alex Neil: The areas in which the Home Insulation Scheme will be deployed in 2009-10 have not yet been selected.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive in which areas the Home Insulation Scheme will be deployed in 2010-11 and what proportion of the total population resides in these areas.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers have identified the areas to be covered by the Home Insulation Scheme in 2010-11 and, if so, on what basis the decisions were made.

Alex Neil: The areas in which the Home Insulation Scheme will be deployed in 2010-11 have not yet been selected.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households are expected to have insulation measures installed in 2009-10 that will be fully paid for under the Home Insulation Scheme.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households are expected to have insulation measures installed in 2009-10 that will be partly paid for under the Home Insulation Scheme.

Alex Neil: The number of insulation measures installed in 2009-10 will depend on a range of factors including the eligibility criteria agreed and the characteristics of the areas selected.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households are expected to have insulation measures installed in 2009-10 with no contribution from the Home Insulation Scheme.

Alex Neil: This information is not held by the Scottish Government.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what external partners will help deliver the Home Insulation Scheme and what roles they will play.

Alex Neil: A range of external partners will play a role in the delivery of the Home Insulation Scheme. These include the Energy Saving Trust, which has been appointed by the Scottish Government as the managing agent for the scheme, energy companies, or their agents and installers. A provider or providers of benefits advice will also be sought. Other important stakeholders will include local councils, housing associations and other local partners.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what processes and criteria will be used to select external partners to help deliver the Home Insulation Scheme.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has used powers under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 and Environmental Protection Act 1990 to appoint the Energy Saving Trust as the managing agent for the scheme. The Scottish Government, together with the Energy Saving Trust, will establish a suitable process to secure involvement of an energy company or companies to deliver measures that will contribute to their obligations under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT).

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether measures and safeguards will be put in place to ensure that the external partners selected to help deliver the Home Insulation Scheme are based in Scotland and employ Scottish workers and, if so, what these are.

Alex Neil: We recognise the importance of the point being raised. This project will be managed by the Energy Saving Trust from its offices in Scotland. While based in Scotland, as part of its policies on equal opportunities the Energy Saving Trust employs both Scottish workers and those of other nationalities. In relation to other external partners, we will aim to ensure that best practice procurement is followed.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive by what date ministers expect the Home Insulation Scheme to have been rolled out to all areas of Scotland.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a target date by which it aims to insulate all hard-to-treat homes eligible under the Home Insulation Scheme and, if so, to what minimum standard and by what date.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a target date by which it aims to have insulated all homes eligible under the Home Insulation Scheme and, if so, to what minimum standard and by what date.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a target date by which it aims for all homes in Scotland to be insulated and, if so, to what minimum standard and by what date.

Alex Neil: We welcomed the UK Government’s ambition to insulate all cavities and lofts by 2015 (in the recent Heat and Energy Saving Strategy consultation), and indicated that we believe this will not be met in Scotland unless changes are made to the framework for the delivery of the Carbon Emissions Reduction target (CERT) and the obligation that supersedes it. The Home Insulation Scheme will contribute towards this ambition, and towards our own CO 2 reduction target, but the degree to which it can be achieved will partly depend on decisions made around the future of CERT.

  We recognise the need to make substantial progress in our existing housing stock to meet our climate change ambitions. Whilst resources are tight, we have made a significant start in the 2009-10 Budget and we intend to continue in budgetary terms year by year towards the achievement of a step-change in energy efficiency and insulation by 2020. The first phase of investment and the associated evaluation will assist in determining the best way of taking this forward in future years.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the £15 million allocated to the Home Insulation Scheme will be spent on (a) insulation materials, (b) labour costs to install insulation, (c) publicity and promotion and (d) administration.

Alex Neil: Aspects of the Home Insulation Scheme are still under development and it is therefore not possible to finalise such a breakdown at this stage.

Enterprise

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support the manufacturing industry in Ayrshire.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government provides a wide range of support to manufacturing companies – including in Ayrshire – directly and through Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Development International, local authorities and Skills Development Scotland. This includes innovation and investment grants, such as Regional Selective Assistance, where offers of RSA support totalling £26 million have been made to manufacturing businesses in Ayrshire over the last three years.

  We are committed to supporting all manufacturers in Scotland to improve their productivity and ensuring that they can compete globally. Our Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) is delivered by Scottish Enterprise and is currently in the process of expansion. Industry-experienced practitioners work across Scotland with enterprises – including in Ayrshire – to increase value to their products and businesses and advise on industrial aspects such as lean manufacturing, waste reduction, process efficiency and product innovation as required.

Enterprise

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been employed in the textile manufacturing industry in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Jim Mather: Information on the number of employee jobs by industry is collected each year from the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI). The most recent year for which data is available is 2007. The ABI does not include self-employed jobs.

  Table 1 shows the number of employee jobs in the textile manufacturing industry by parliamentary constituency from 1997 to 2007.

  Please note that there are two discontinuities in the time series:

  Estimates for 2005 and earlier are on a different basis to those from 2006 onwards, mainly due to a change in the survey reference date.

  Estimates for 1997-2002 are based on the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 1992 codes, whereas estimates for 2003 onwards are based on 2003 SIC codes.

  It has only been possible to provide data for a small number of parliamentary constituencies as data for the majority of parliamentary constituencies are confidential and must be suppressed. Data are considered confidential if it is possible either directly, or by deduction, to reveal the identity of an enterprise.

  Table 1: Employee Jobs in the Textile Manufacturing Industry by Scottish Parliamentary Constituency, 1997-2007

  

 
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007


 Scotland
 19,100
 17,500
 16,100
 14,200
 11,900
 11,900
 10,600
 9,900
 8,800
 7,500
 7,500


 Aberdeen Central
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Aberdeen North
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Aberdeen South
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Airdrie and Shotts
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Angus
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Argyll and Bute
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Ayr
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Banff and Buchan
 300
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 200
 *


 Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Central Fife
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Clydebank and Milngavie
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Clydesdale
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Coatbridge and Chryston
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Cunninghame North
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Cunninghame South
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Dumbarton
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Dumfries
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Dundee East
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Dundee West
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Dunfermline East
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Dunfermline West
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 East Kilbride
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 East Lothian
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Eastwood
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Edinburgh Central
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Edinburgh North and Leith
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Edinburgh Pentlands
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Edinburgh South
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Edinburgh West
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Falkirk East
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Falkirk West
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Glasgow Anniesland
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Glasgow Baillieston
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Glasgow Cathcart
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Glasgow Govan
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Glasgow Kelvin
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Glasgow Maryhill
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Glasgow Pollok
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Glasgow Rutherglen
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Glasgow Shettleston
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Glasgow Springburn
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Gordon
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Greenock and Inverclyde
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Hamilton North and Bellshill
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Hamilton South
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Kilmarnock and Loudoun
 1,600
 1,500
 1,500
 1,400
 1,100
 1,000
 1,000
 700
 400
 400
 400


 Kirkcaldy
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Linlithgow
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Livingston
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Midlothian
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Moray
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Motherwell and Wishaw
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 North East Fife
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 North Tayside
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Ochil
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Orkney and Shetland**
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Paisley North
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Paisley South
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Perth
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Ross, Skye and Inverness West
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Roxburgh and Berwickshire
 2,900
 1,900
 2,400
 2,300
 2,100
 2,300
 2,000
 2,100
 1,800
 1,400
 1,400


 Stirling
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Strathkelvin and Bearsden
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
 1,700
 1,100
 1,300
 1,000
 900
 1,100
 800
 1,000
 900
 700
 600


 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 West Renfrewshire
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Western Isles
 300
 400
 200
 200
 300
 200
 100
 200
 200
 100
 100



  Source:

  1998-2007: Annual Business Inquiry (ABI), Office for National Statistics.

  1997: Annual Employment Survey, Office for National Statistics.

  Notes:

  *Data suppressed as confidential, 1947 Statistics of Trade Act.

  **It has not been possible to analyse Orkney and Shetland separately. The data has been obtained from the Nomis website, as the microdata are not held centrally.

  1. Textile manufacturing is defined as Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Division 17.

  2. These data are based on employee jobs rather than people in employment i.e. one person may have more than one job. They do not include self employed jobs.

  3. Data are rounded to the nearest hundred.

  4. ABI data are workplace based.

  5. Data from 1997-2002 are based on SIC 1992 codes. Data from 2003 onwards are based on 2003 SIC codes.

  6. The reference period for data in 1997-2005 was December. The reference period from 2006 onwards was September.

Enterprise

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support engineering.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government provides a wide range of support to manufacturing companies – including in the engineering sector – directly and through Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Development International, local authorities and Skills Development Scotland. This includes innovation and investment grants and practical advice by the recently augmented Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service.

  Special projects for engineering include the Advanced Forming Research Centre, Intermediary Technology Institutes projects and Enterprise Fellowships for the engineering sector. Scottish Enterprise is working closely with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Scottish Environmental Technology Network to develop a strategy for the development of opportunities for Scotland to benefit from the demand for new technology and engineering solutions to the issues around climate change and environmental protection.

European Funding

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £95 million in European Structural Funds (ESF) announced under round two of the 2007-13 Lowlands and Uplands Scotland Programme will be available to stakeholders in North Ayrshire.

Jim Mather: Within the total £95 million of European funding announced on 18 April 2009, ESF projects approved and indicating that they would be available to beneficiaries in North Ayrshire have been awarded just over £12 million of grant, and ERDF projects approved and covering North Ayrshire have been awarded just over £37 million of grant.

European Funding

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs will be created in North Ayrshire as a result of the £95 million in European Structural Funds announced under round two of the 2007-13 Lowlands and Uplands Scotland Programme.

Jim Mather: Within the total jobs created by the European funding announced on 18 April 2009, projects including North Ayrshire in their coverage have indicated that they will create a total of almost 1,100 jobs.

Fair Trade

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has committed to the Fairtrade Foundation during 2009-10.

Michael Russell: None. The Scottish Government’s funds for supporting fair trade have been targeted at supporting the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, with £60,000 a year for three years (until 31 March 2010) committed from the International Development Fund.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-22508 by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 April 2009, how many ribotype samples were sent to the national reference laboratory by NHS Orkney.

Nicola Sturgeon: Twenty-two toxin positive specimens were sent by NHS Orkney to NHS Grampian. The Consultant Medical Microbiologists within NHS Grampian decide on which toxin positive samples are cultured for Clostridium difficile based on clinical details, outbreaks and severity of illness.

  Of the 22 toxin positive specimens sent to NHS Grampian by NHS Orkney, nine were identified as culture positive and were forwarded to the national reference laboratory for typing.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-22508 by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 April 2009, how many staff have had training on Clostridium difficile over the last two years; what the training consisted of, and what percentage of staff this represents.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Orkney has confirmed that all new staff receive a two hour face-to-face infection control session as part of their induction training. The training is delivered by clinical staff and includes sessions on how infection spreads, the different types of infection, how infection is controlled and hand hygiene. In addition, 170 staff have, in the past 12 months, accessed a healthcare associated infection online module that is divided into five tutorials. This covers the background to infection control and healthcare associated infection, the standard precautions that all staff should take, hand hygiene, protocols for segregation of waste and linen and decontamination protocols. These staff represent 31% of total headcount within NHS Orkney. Forty-seven members of staff (16% of eligible head count) have also completed the Cleanliness Champion Training programme, which is an in-depth infection control training module that requires 20 hours of study, mentorship and sign off of a portfolio of work.

  During, and since the outbreak, face-to-face training on Clostridium difficile has also been delivered to staff. This has covered the epidemiology of the organism, the importance of infection control principles, case management, surveillance, information for families and hand hygiene protocols. This training was delivered within the ward setting and the percentages of staff involved is presented in the following table:

  

 Ward
 % Staff


 Piper Ward
 99%


 Male Ward
 75%


 Female Ward
 88%


 Ninian Ward
 85%


 Macmillan
 60%


 Renal Unit
 100%


 Day Surgery
 100%


 Theatre
 80%


 Maternity
 80%

Healthcare Associated Infection

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what research is being undertaken in Scotland and what information it has on research in the United Kingdom or the rest of the European Union to determine the possible role and cost effectiveness of screening staff for MRSA in the prevention of transmission of MRSA.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Health Technology Assessment Report 9: The Clinical and Cost Effectiveness of Screening for Meticillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), published in October 2007 by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, found that there was an absence of evidence to support the role of staff screening in reducing MRSA. Health Protection Scotland is reviewing all the published literature on the role of staff screening within a work stream of the pathfinder programme. The MRSA Screening Pathfinder Programme interim report published in April 2009 also indicates there was no further evidence to support the role of routine staff screening in preventing transmission of MRSA. Further results of studies published since the interim report will be reported in the final report due in December 2009.

  We are unaware of any research studies in the UK or the EU on the role and cost effectiveness of staff screening.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to improve the 22% availability rate of isolation facilities for MRSA as reported in the NHS Scotland MRSA Screening Pathfinder Programme Interim Report 2009 .

Nicola Sturgeon: CEL 48 (2008) issued on 11 November 2008 provides guidance to NHS boards on the provision of 100% single room accommodation for new build facilities and a minimum of 50% for refurbished facilities. Patients with infection do not always need to be cared for individually in single rooms. It is acceptable to practice cohort care for multiple patients with the same infection within a circumscribed ward area.

  The availability of isolation rooms is, however, being monitored throughout the duration of the MRSA Screening Programme Pathfinder Boards project.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being used in the MRSA Screening Pathfinder Programme under the third aim, patient and staff acceptability, to determine the psychological effects of testing.

Nicola Sturgeon: The key objectives for aim three on staff and patient acceptability are:

  To explore patient and family experiences and opinions of the MRSA screening programme, identifying perceived benefits and aspects they feel could be improved upon, relative to their perception of risk of MRSA infection.

  To determine staff awareness and understanding of the MRSA screening programme, identifying perceived benefits and aspects they feel could be improved upon.

  To evaluate the effectiveness of the communications used to inform patients and staff of the MRSA Screening programme.

  To explore the acceptability of MRSA screening from a wider population perspective beyond the Pathfinder Board areas.

  A variety of approaches will be adopted (subject to ethical approval) to measure aim three, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data sources (measures), including:

  a selective evidence synthesis of existing research related to patient and staff views of screening for infection

  online survey of all clinical staff groups, using a combination of Likert scale questions with associated open response opportunities to enable expansion or explanation of their views

  on-going thematic analysis of an on-line discussion board (specially designed as part of the evaluation project) for clinical staff to encourage anonymous posting of views and experiences

  focus group discussions with a randomised sample of clinical staff at each Pathfinder board, stratified according to staff grouping, using the nominal group technique to prioritise concerns and generate recommendations for future screening

  telephone interviews with recently discharged service users (patients and primary visitor) to generate topic areas of "issues and concerns" related to MRSA screening, which will be incorporated into a patient/visitor survey tool

  postal survey of patients and their associated primary visitor, sub divided into two cohorts (those who were screened positive and those who were screened negative as consequence of MRSA screening)

  postal survey of wider public perceptions beyond the Pathfinder Boards, using the electoral register to select a representative sample of the population in both urban and rural areas.

  concluding interviews with Pathfinder Board project management teams to collate experiences, lessons learned and recommendations for future implementation.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the screening practice is for MRSA in non-pathfinder programme NHS boards.

Nicola Sturgeon: Currently non-pathfinder NHS boards have local policies for MRSA screening as part of their local infection control policies. These policies are based on local clinical risk assessment related to MRSA and in general involve targeted screening of specific specialities and patient populations. For example, patients with a past history of MRSA, frequent re-admissions, admissions from care homes, patients admitted to intensive therapy units, cardiothoracics, orthopaedics and vascular surgery. These policies will be modified by NHS boards to include the requirements of the national MRSA screening programme.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria and thresholds it proposes to use to determine whether the pilot MRSA screening programmes are cost effective.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, given that the NHS Scotland MRSA Screening Pathfinder Programme Interim Report 2009 has not produced evidence of the cost effectiveness of universal screening for MRSA, what alternative plans for targeted screening are being developed and what the likely annual costs are of such alternatives.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing of MRSA screening for most elective admissions to acute specialities and both elective and acute admissions to nephrology, vascular surgery, dermatology and care of the elderly ( Official Report c. 16601), what evidence base there is for universal screening of elective admissions.

Nicola Sturgeon: The decision to introduce a national MRSA screening programme was taken, to minimise the spread of infection in hospital, minimise the risk of infection between patients and to ensure public confidence. However, following the full evaluation of the Pathfinder pilots the national screening programme may be modified in light of any further evidence that may emerge.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it proposes to take with respect to care homes and admissions to hospital from care homes in light of the finding in the NHS Scotland MRSA Screening Pathfinder Programme Interim Report 2009 that 25% of people admitted showed MRSA colonisation.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are known risk factors for colonisation with MRSA, for example, patients with a past history of MRSA, frequent re-admissions, direct interhospital transfers from hospitals abroad or hospitals in the UK with a high prevalence of MRSA and residents care facilities, such as care homes. NHS boards MRSA policies are based on local clinical risk assessment and, in general, involve targeted screening of specific specialities and patient populations, including residents of care homes. It is important to note that these patients represent a small proportion (1.6%) of all admissions to acute hospitals.

  This approach is in line with UK guidance published in the Journal of Hospital Infection May 2006 (Guidelines for the Control and Prevention of Meticillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Healthcare Facilities).

Healthcare Associated Infection

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it has not included for roll-out of targeted MRSA screening those patients with a previous listing of MRSA.

Nicola Sturgeon: Those patients who are previously known MRSA colonised are included in the national screening programme for screening of most elective admissions and the defined high-risk specialties. NHS boards MRSA policies are based on local clinical risk assessment and, in general, involve targeted screening of specific specialities and patient populations, including those with a previous history of MRSA. This will continue as part of the routine local clinical risk assessment on admission.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it has not included for roll-out of targeted MRSA screening those patients who have repeated admissions.

Nicola Sturgeon: Those patients who are readmissions are included in the national screening programme for most elective admissions and high risk specialties. NHS boards MRSA policies are based on local clinical risk assessment and, in general, involve targeted screening of specific specialities and patient populations. This will continue as part of the routine local clinical risk assessment on admission.

Homecoming Scotland

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support town-twinning as part of Homecoming Scotland 2009.

Jim Mather: The Homecoming Scotland team are working in partnership with local authorities regarding Homecoming events. Some local authorities are proactively developing links with their twin towns in the context of their Homecoming activity however, the Scottish Executive has no role or locus in twinning arrangements and decisions rest with each local authority.

Homecoming Scotland

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-20441 by Jim Mather on 26 February 2009, to whom music usage costs were paid and under what terms.

Jim Mather: Music usage costs were paid to Dougie McLean and usage rights agreed with him as "owner" of this piece of music. The fee paid for this was for usage in the advertisement but also covered usage when it was played in various media channels.

Homecoming Scotland

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procurement process it applied to the production of the Homecoming Scotland advertisement.

Jim Mather: The Union, the current supplier under the VisitScotland Direct Marketing Creative & Account Management Services contract, undertook the production of the Homecoming Scotland advertisement and as such the production work was made under the terms of an existing pre-tendered contract. This three year contract (running from June 2007 to May 2010) was procured through the formal EU tender process and was advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18566 by Stewart Maxwell on 16 December 2008, how many landlords have been removed from the register for the Landlord Registration Scheme since that answer was given, broken down by local authority.

Alex Neil: No landlords have been removed from the Landlord Register since 16 December 2008.

  Local authorities have a range of enforcement powers which can be used to ensure compliance with registration requirements. These include refusing to register a landlord, rent penalty notices and late application fees. As at 30 April 2009, 10 landlords have been refused registration, one landlord has had their registration removed, over 800 late application fees have been applied and over 600 rent penalty notices have been issued nationally.

Human Trafficking

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have been undertaken in relation to sex trafficking offences and how many have resulted in conviction since 2003.

Kenny MacAskill: Data supplied by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service indicates that to date, there has been one case identified where a person has been proceeded against in relation to sex trafficking offences under Section 22 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 but no convictions. Most cases related to sex trafficking have been prosecuted as immigration or prostitution offences.

  A 2008 analysis of prosecutions in relation to sex trafficking cases uncovered as a result of the national police led Operation Pentameter 2 (which ran from October 2007 to March 2008) indicated that 18 people had been convicted of offences including trading in prostitution; attempting to pervert the course of justice and offences under the Identity Cards Act 2006 and the Immigration Act 1971 and that sentences ranging from imprisonment to financial penalties have been imposed. There were no prosecutions for trafficking offences due to insufficient evidence.

Human Trafficking

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to tackle human trafficking into Glasgow.

Kenny MacAskill: Trafficking in human beings is an abhorrent crime and one that the Scottish Government is committed to tackling. We have a comprehensive strategy in place to tackle this crime which is set out in the UK action plan published jointly by the Scottish Government and Home Office. It applies to all forms of trafficking and sets out proposals for prevention, enforcement and prosecution, protection and assistance to adult victims and child trafficking. Copies of the action plan are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46662).

  We continue to support law enforcement agencies to identify and pursue the criminal gangs involved and to work with local authorities and voluntary bodies to ensure that victims of trafficking can get the support they need.

  In respect of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, we are working with our partner organisations and the police to ensure that opportunities for human trafficking of forced labour during the construction phase or for sexual exploitation while the games are running are minimised.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Justice has had with the UK Government regarding the e-Borders programme.

Kenny MacAskill: Whilst responsibility for border control and immigration matters (including the e-Borders programme) are reserved to the UK Government we have sought to be kept informed on the development of the programme at both official and ministerial level. I met senior officials from UKBA on a visit to Edinburgh Airport on 6 April 2009 and the e-Borders programme was discussed along with a range of issues.

Justice

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission has established an appropriate programme of consultations about how it should conduct its inquiries.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) published its draft rules on 28 April 2008. At that time the SLCC consulted the relevant parties required under section 32 of the Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 2007. The finalised rules are published on the SLCC’s website, www.scottishlegalcomplaints.com .

Kerelaw Residential School

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the Joint Independent Inquiry on Kerelaw Residential School and Secure Unit will be published.

Adam Ingram: The Report of the Independent Inquiry on Kerelaw Residential School and Secure Provision is published today. A copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 48089).

  The Scottish Government welcomes the thorough and comprehensive report which has been completed by Mr Eddie Frizzell and his team.

  Glasgow City Council also deserves praise for its willingness to submit its management of Kerelaw and its subsequent handling of the closure of Kerelaw School to independent and detailed scrutiny.

  I will be writing to all relevant agencies to urge them to consider carefully how they will use the findings and recommendations contained within the report to evaluate their services and to take any necessary action to ensure their responsibilities for the care and protection of children are being met fully.

  The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council accept the recommendations in full.

  Three of the 37 recommendations require specific action by the Scottish Government but we will support all our partners to implement all of the recommendations.

  1. Listening to Children

  1.1 The report makes clear that some children within Kerelaw communicated their unhappiness in a variety of ways. Some made complaints directly to the Kerelaw management and others to their social worker. Some were acted on but this was not systematic. There are two recommendations which call for action by the Scottish Government. The first is to develop a national mechanism to gather, collate and analyse complaints about residential child care. At present, the Care Commission investigates complaints made about all the services it regulates and discussions take place between the inspectorates and other relevant parties where there is a perception of risk. However, the Scottish Government welcomes the opportunity to explore with these parties how this process could be better developed to provide improved information at a national level.

  1.2 The second recommendation calls for the Scottish Government to review the funding of advocacy services. The funding of advocacy services is largely the responsibility of each local authority and NHS board. Nevertheless, there is a need to review the provision of advocacy services to all children. I have therefore commissioned a national survey to identify the access, availability and funding of services to children. We will seek to publish this by the end of the 2009.

  1.3 The Kerelaw Report discusses the important role of inspection to ensure that a provider of residential child care has robust arrangements for listening and acting on concerns expressed by the child. External scrutiny through the regular HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) and the twice yearly Care Commission inspections, together with the overview provided by Social Work Inspection Agency in its performance management inspections will review complaints procedures and the provision of children’s advocates and children’s rights officers and how effective these are. External inspections also provide the opportunity for children to raise any matter of concern during an inspection. I am aware that the Care Commission has recently reviewed its methodology to better reflect the views of young people, their families/carers and other visiting professionals. I expect all the inspectorates to keep this issue under continual review and ensure that action is taken if the evidence is not available that children are listened to appropriately.

  1.4 An important recommendation is made to providers to ensure that staff are clear when it is safe and appropriate to use restraint methods. In 2008, the Care Commission reported on how the guidance Holding Safely and recommended some improvements. These are being considered by a working group of providers, supported by the Scottish Government, the Scottish Institute of Residential Child Care and the Care Commission. The initial focus is on secure care but the Scottish Government will ask it to expand its discussions to consider restraint in the other residential child care settings.

  1.5 I am also pleased to note the important recommendation on record keeping which builds on those made in November 2007 by Tom Shaw’s Historical Abuse in Residential Child Care 1950-1995. Last year, the Keeper of the Records of Scotland commissioned a review of the current records legislation. Evidence was obtained from a wide sector, ranging from those involved in working with records to those who sought access to information about themselves. The review also examined current records management practice and legislation both in the UK and overseas. The Keeper will submit his recommendations to the Scottish Government in the near future.

  2. Improving the Quality of Leadership and Management

  2.1 There are many hundreds of dedicated and committed residential child care staff. However, there is a long-standing concern that the sector has not moved quickly enough to ensure that its entire staff have the knowledge, skills and professional support to fulfil this challenging role.

  2.2 The Kerelaw report has welcomed the Scottish Government’s action to set a deadline for the registration of all the residential child care staff who will work directly with children. While many staff have the relevant qualifications, too many do not. The requirement for registration will drive the increase in appropriately qualified staff and also ensure that residential child care providers provide the required investment, commitment and support to enable their staff to reach the required standards for registration.

  2.3 The Scottish Government is supporting the residential child care sector to increase the knowledge and skills base of its staff but also to become more integrated within the wider children’s services workforce. The Continuous Learning Framework (CLF) was launched in December and is being implemented by the Scottish Social Services Council.

  2.4 The framework sets out what the social services workforce of approximately 160,000 people need to be able to do their job well now and into the future and describes what employers need to do to support them. It aims to improve approaches to three key integrated areas: learning and development, career pathways and progression and improved standards of practice.

  2.5 Another element of the CLF which is particularly important for work in residential child care are the personal qualities that individuals should possess. The CLF will support the local creation of person specifications and job descriptions which will address many of the concerns expressed in the report about the quality of leadership, management and training. In addition, a single common values statement on working with children will also be developed from later this year together with proposals for joint training and development across the children’s services workforce.

  2.6 The National Residential Child Care Initiative, (NRCCI) which I launched last year, will report later in 2009. It is identifying where further progress can be made in relation to improving the skills and capacities of the residential child care workforce. I have also asked the NRCCI to build on the recommendations within the Kerelaw report, in particular how we strengthen leadership in the sector and the roles and responsibilities of external managers and board members.

  3. The role of External Inspection

  3.1 The Scottish Government agrees with the Kerelaw Report’s conclusion that external inspection must build on a strong culture of robust management which evaluates its own performance and is honest and open to change. The Report does not call for more or better inspection but it does make important observations with regard to improving the effectiveness of the follow up to their reports.

  3.2 There is a good legislative basis for ensuring that providers act upon the findings of inspection, if this proves necessary. For example, the introduction of s99 to the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 has given the Registrar of Independent Schools the power to impose conditions to ensure that schools comply with recommendations made by HMIE to support change and improvement. Similarly, the Care Commission may impose requirements and recommendations, as well as take enforcement action, in respect of care services. Unannounced inspections are also a feature of inspection programmes.

  3.3 The Scottish Government is about to introduce an ambitious programme of reform to the current scrutiny arrangements. A risk-based, proportionate approach by relevant inspectorates will continue to be required to complement self-evaluation by agencies. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the recommendation within the Kerelaw Report to ensure that, when changes in external scrutiny of social care services take place from 2011, the new body has access to information gathered by previous inspections. I will ask Scottish Government officials to identify how we take forward the current good practice between inspectorates with regard to sharing relevant information into the new arrangements.

Licensing

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences of the (a) sale of alcohol to, (b) purchase of alcohol for consumption by, (c) purchase of alcohol or its consumption on a licensed premises by and (d) possession of alcohol by a person under 18 were recorded in the Lothian and Borders police force area in each of the last five years.

Kenny MacAskill: The following table shows the number of alcohol offences relating to persons under 18 recorded by Lothian and Borders police force in financial years 2003-04 to 2007-08.

  Where persons under 18 possess alcohol in a public place, the police have powers under section 61 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997 to confiscate this alcohol and dispose of it. If the alcohol is surrendered to the police, it is not an offence and so is not included in the recorded crime statistics. It is, however, an offence to fail to comply, for example by failing to surrender the alcohol or by failing to give his name and address if requested. Figures relating to confiscation of alcohol in the table therefore relate to persons under 18 failing to comply with this requirement.

  Number of Alcohol Offences Relating to Persons Under 18, Lothian and Borders Police Force, 2003-04 to 2007-08

  

Financial Year
 Sale of Alcohol to Person Under 181
 Purchasing Excisable Liquor for Consumption by Under 18
 Person Under 18 Buying Excisable Liquor or Consuming in a Bar
 Confiscation of Alcohol from Person Under 18
 Total


 2003-04
 18
 11
 4
 1
 34


 2004-05
 28
 17
 6
 -
 51


 2005-06
 37
 31
 9
 1
 78


 2006-07
 101
 57
 20
 3
 181


 2007-08
 104
 65
 26
 1
 196



  Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services.

  Note: 1. Covers the crime categories sale of drink to person under 18 and wholesaler selling liquor to person under 18, although no prosecutions have been recorded under the latter in the years reported.

  With regard to this answer, and the answer to question S3W-23005 on 11 May 2009, it should be noted that statistics dealing with recorded crime and court proceedings are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime involving more than one victim and there is the possibility that the crime recorded by the police may be altered in the course of judicial proceedings. Also a crime may be recorded by the police in one year and court proceedings concluded in a subsequent year.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Licensing

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there were for the (a) sale of alcohol to, (b) purchasing of alcohol for consumption by, (c) purchase of alcohol or its consumption on a licensed premises by and (d) possession of alcohol by a person under 18 in the Lothian and Borders police force area in each of the last five years.

Kenny MacAskill: The available data on prosecutions for offences related to underage alcohol consumption are contained in the following table.

  Please note that prosecution is not the sole course taken in dealing with these offences. Where persons under 18 possess alcohol in a public place, the police have powers under section 61 of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997 to confiscate this alcohol and dispose of it. If the alcohol is surrendered to the police, it is not an offence and so is not included in the recorded crime statistics. It is, however, an offence to fail to comply, for example by failing to surrender the alcohol or by failing to give his name and address if requested. Figures relating to confiscation of alcohol in the table therefore relate to persons under 18 failing to comply with this requirement.

  Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Alcohol Offences Related to Persons Under 181, Lothian and Borders Police Force, 2003-04 to 2007-08

  

Financial Year
 Sale of Alcohol to Person Under 182
 Purchasing Excisable Liquor for Consumption by Person Under 18
 Person Under 18 Buying Excisable Liquor or Consuming in Bar
 Confiscation of Alcohol from Person Under 18
 Total


 2003-04
 3
 9
 -
 1
 13


 2004-05
 9
 4
 1
 -
 14


 2005-06
 12
 10
 3
 -
 25


 2006-07
 16
 14
 4
 -
 34


 2007-08
 22
 14
 3
 -
 39



  Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services.

  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Covers the crime categories sale of drink to person under 18 and wholesaler selling liquor to person under 18, although no prosecutions have been recorded under the latter in the years reported.

  With regard to this answer, and the answer to question S3W-23004 on 11 May 2009, it should be noted that statistics dealing with court proceedings and recorded crime are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime involving more than one victim and there is the possibility that the crime recorded by the police may be altered in the course of judicial proceedings. Also a crime may be recorded by the police in one year and court proceedings concluded in a subsequent year.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Life Expectancy

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates are available of healthy life expectancy for the NHS Tayside area since 2004.

Nicola Sturgeon: Life expectancy (LE) and Healthy life expectancy (HLE) estimates for NHS board, including those in Tayside, are based on deaths and populations aggregated over a five-year period for statistical robustness. HLE also requires measurements of a third essential component, self-assessed health (SAH).

  For NHS board areas within Scotland SAH can only be obtained from the Census, which was last carried out in 2001. Therefore, HLE has been estimated for the period 1999-2003, using SAH data from the 2001 Census. The NHS board data in tables 1 and 2 have been published on the Healthy Life Expectancy pages of the Scottish Public Health Observatory (ScotPHO) website:

  http://www.scotpho.org.uk/home/Populationdynamics/hle/hle_data/hle_nhsboards.asp.

  Estimates of LE and HLE for males and females in NHS Tayside are shown in the following tables:

  Table 1. Male LE and HLE at birth, NHS Tayside 1999-2003.

  

 Males
 1999-2003
 2001-05


 Area
 LE
 HLE
 LE
 HLE


 Scotland
 73.3
 66.3
 73.9
 n/a


 NHS Tayside
 74.1
 68.1
 74.7
 n/a



  Source Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland.

  Table 2. Female LE and HLE at birth, NHS Tayside 1999-2003.

  

 Females
 1999-2003
 2001-05


 Area
 LE
 HLE
 LE
 HLE


 Scotland
 78.7
 70.2
 79.1
 n/a


 NHS Tayside
 79.2
 71.8
 79.4
 n/a



  Source Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland.

Life Expectancy

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates are available of healthy life expectancy for the NHS Tayside area since 2004, broken down by community health partnership.

Nicola Sturgeon: Life expectancy (LE) and healthy life expectancy (HLE) estimates for NHS board and Community Health Partnership (CHP) areas, including those in Tayside, are based on deaths and populations aggregated over a five-year period for statistical robustness. HLE also requires a third essential component, self-assessed health (SAH), which is only available for NHS board and CHP areas within Scotland, from the last census carried out in 2001.

  Therefore, HLE has been estimated for the period 1999-2003, using SAH from the 2001 Census. Data in the following tables have been published on the Scottish Public Health Observatory (ScotPHO) HLE pages: www.scotpho.org/uk/hle data sections for NHS boards and CHP’s.

  Table 1. Male LE and HLE at Birth in NHS Tayside, and by CHP

  

 Males
 1999-2003
 2001-05


 Area
 LE
 HLE
 LE
 HLE


 Scotland
 73.3
 66.3
 73.9
 n/a


 NHS Tayside
 74.1
 68.1
 74.7
 n/a


 Angus CHP
 74.9
 69.4
 75.3
 n/a


 Dundee CHP
 71.8
 64.6
 72.5
 n/a


 Perth and Kinross CHP
 75.9
 70.8
 76.4
 n/a



  Source: Information Services Division Scotland.

  Table 2. Female LE and HLE at birth in NHS Tayside, and by CHP

  

 Females
 1999-2003
 2001-05


 Area
 LE
 HLE
 LE
 HLE


 Scotland
 78.7
 70.2
 79.1
 n/a


 NHS Tayside
 79.2
 71.8
 79.4
 n/a


 Angus CHP
 79.2
 72.7
 79.6
 n/a


 Dundee CHP
 78
 68.8
 78.1
 n/a


 Perth and Kinross CHP
 80.5
 74.2
 80.6
 n/a



  Source: Information Services Division Scotland.

Local Government

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence it has had with Glasgow City Council with regard to the community safety workers’ strike.

Kenny MacAskill: Glasgow City Council has provided my officials with regular updates of developments during the dispute. These have focused on the steps taken to seek resolution of the dispute and measures taken to keep the courts and offenders informed.

  On 23 April 2009, I wrote to the leader of the council to seek assurances that all options to resolve the dispute were being explored. The authority’s response of 30 April 2009 has confirmed the council’s continued commitment to find an agreed settlement.

Malnutrition

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were (a) diagnosed with and (b) found to have died from malnutrition while in the care of (i) the NHS and (ii) a local authority run care home in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board and local authority respectively.

Nicola Sturgeon: Centrally held information can provide details for patients where malnutrition is identified on their hospital or death records. These figures may represent an undercount of the true number of cases because malnutrition as an underlying reason for admission to hospital or cause of death may not always be recorded or coded by coding staff.

  The definition of malnutrition employed in this analysis includes diagnoses of nutritional deficiencies (e.g. vitamin A, thiamine and calcium deficiencies), nutritional anaemias and malnutrition related diabetes mellitus.

  The tables present the number of patients discharged from acute hospitals in Scotland with a diagnosis of malnutrition (table 1) and the number of patients discharged as a result of the patient’s death from acute hospitals in Scotland with a diagnosis of malnutrition (table 2).

  Information on the number of people who have died from malnutrition while in the care of a local authority run care home is not available from central statistical sources and so is not presented.

  In January 2008, the Scottish Government set up an integrated programme to improve and enhance the nutritional care of people in hospitals. This programme has resulted in a toolkit and educational framework which includes a malnutrition assessment and nutritional pathway, along with a national nutrition and catering specification. The Scottish Government has also funded a programme to improve nutrition in care homes.

  Table 1: Number of Patients Discharged from Hospital with a Diagnosis of Malnutrition in NHS Scotland, by NHS Board of Residence; Year Ending 31 March 1998-2008

  

 
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 All Scotland
 1,805
 1,842
 1,828
 1,668
 1,624
 1,786
 1,791
 1,884
 1,999
 1,946
 1,884


 Ayrshire and Arran
 109
 109
 145
 135
 130
 168
 128
 117
 121
 117
 127


 Borders
 43
 53
 39
 29
 45
 40
 60
 34
 34
 55
 59


 Dumfries and Galloway
 88
 104
 119
 105
 93
 101
 95
 95
 102
 76
 122


 Fife
 45
 48
 75
 77
 98
 105
 112
 128
 131
 130
 157


 Forth Valley
 60
 56
 80
 83
 92
 94
 57
 65
 54
 47
 30


 Grampian
 65
 68
 69
 68
 54
 52
 82
 95
 97
 107
 120


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 596
 636
 515
 465
 398
 443
 451
 526
 521
 536
 434


 Highland
 71
 70
 88
 78
 90
 96
 90
 106
 142
 134
 120


 Lanarkshire
 271
 294
 290
 274
 189
 209
 175
 160
 157
 198
 174


 Lothian
 311
 247
 227
 201
 310
 344
 410
 435
 534
 443
 443


 Orkney Islands
 5
 2
 3
 1
 2
 4
 5
 5
 8
 6
 8


 Shetland Islands
 5
 2
 7
 5
 3
 3
 5
 6
 6
 7
 8


 Tayside
 129
 132
 161
 139
 115
 117
 118
 106
 87
 78
 76


 Western Isles
 7
 21
 10
 8
 5
 10
 3
 6
 5
 12
 6



  Source: Information Services Division (ISD) Database SMR01.

  Table 2: Number of Patients Discharged from Hospital Due to Death with Diagnosis of Malnutrition in NHS Scotland, by NHS Board of Residence; Year Ending 31 March 1998-2008

  

 
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 All Scotland
 51
 84
 85
 86
 93
 96
 93
 106
 110
 91
 110


 Ayrshire and Arran
 1
 10
 9
 7
 11
 6
 8
 10
 10
 11
 7


 Borders
 2
 1
 3
 1
 1
 1
 3
 3
 3
 2
 3


 Dumfries and Galloway
 -
 5
 2
 4
 6
 5
 6
 5
 4
 3
 3


 Fife
 4
 4
 8
 8
 13
 11
 10
 10
 10
 4
 17


 Forth Valley
 2
 10
 6
 9
 10
 8
 7
 5
 4
 4
 5


 Grampian
 1
 4
 5
 6
 3
 5
 2
 3
 9
 7
 11


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 16
 12
 22
 23
 19
 27
 24
 28
 32
 18
 24


 Highland
 5
 6
 7
 3
 4
 6
 4
 4
 6
 8
 5


 Lanarkshire
 4
 9
 4
 6
 1
 7
 4
 6
 8
 7
 12


 Lothian
 12
 12
 11
 10
 13
 12
 19
 23
 17
 20
 17


 Tayside
 4
 9
 8
 8
 12
 6
 6
 8
 7
 7
 5


 Island Boards
 -
 2
 -
 1
 -
 2
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1



  Source: ISD Database SMR01.

Marine Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to identify an agency to deal with marine litter.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed the control of marine litter with the UK Government and the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland and Wales.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will work with the UK Government and the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland and Wales to develop a co-ordinated marine litter strategy.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it shares the Marine Conservation Society’s goal of reducing beach litter by 50% by 2015.

Richard Lochhead: No separate agency is proposed. Co-ordinated work with other parts of the UK on achieving Good Environmental Status, which includes ensuring marine litter does not harm coastal and marine environments, will be taken forward in implementing the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Marine Scotland will lead the Scottish Government’s input to this and will consider the Marine Conservation Society’s target of reducing beach litter as part of that.

  The Scottish Government is supporting a range of initiatives and taking action both to prevent and to deal with the consequences of marine and coastal litter and expects local authorities and other bodies to continue to work together to take action to tackle the problem.

  The Scottish Government is actively involved in discussions with the UK Government and devolved administrations on the control of marine litter. The Fishing for Litter initiative was recently considered at the British-Irish Council Environment Group on 19 April 2009. Also, the OSPAR Biodiversity Committee and its Environmental Impacts of Human Activities Working Group continues to consider the issue of marine litter.

Marine Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will implement a marine and coastal litter strategy led by Marine Scotland or another appropriate agency, as advocated by the Marine Conservation Society.

Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland will lead the Scottish Government’s input to EU work on achieving Good Environmental Status under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive including the marine litter aspects.

  The Scottish Government is supporting a range of initiatives and taking action both to prevent and to deal with the consequences of marine and coastal litter and expects local authorities and other bodies to continue to work together to take action to tackle the problem.

Marine Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce legislation similar to the US Marine Debris Research, Prevention and Reduction Act 2006 to deal with marine and coastal debris.

Richard Lochhead: No. There is already European legislation which deals with action on marine litter. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive will require us to introduce measures to ensure that marine litter does not cause harm to the marine and coastal environment, along with other descriptors of good environmental status.

Marine Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps Marine Scotland and other relevant authorities are taking to tackle the problem of marine debris.

Richard Lochhead: The prevention and control of marine pollution is an issue reserved to the UK under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

  The Scottish Government supports a range of initiatives to help tackle the general problem of litter, including the KIMO Fishing for Litter project and the new Scottish Bathing Water Litter Grant Scheme run by Keep Scotland Beautiful which aims to encourage communities to carry out clean ups of beaches close to bathing waters, to run litter prevention campaigns or support and promote community action with a focus on reducing marine and coastal litter pollution.

  The Environmental Protection Act 1990 places a duty on various bodies to clear litter from their land above the high water mark. The Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse provides practical guidance on the discharge of duties imposed on duty bodies by The Environmental Protection Act 1990 to keep land, including beaches, clear of litter and refuse.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies exist for child and adolescent psychiatrists in each NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of vacancies for child and adolescent psychiatrists is unavailable although information about the workforce in NHSScotland is routinely monitored by NHS boards, who are responsible for their own workforce planning, and by the Scottish Government. Data on the number of vacancies for consultants in child and adolescent psychiatry, broken down by NHS board, is provided in the following table:

  Table 1. Hospital, Community and Public Health Services (HCHS) Medical Consultants in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Whole-Time Equivalent (WTE) Vacancies as at 30 September 2008

  

 Health Board
 Establishment
 Staff in Post
 Total Vacancies


 Scotland
 59.7
 55.2
 4.5


 NHS Ayrshire and Arran
 4.0
 2.0
 2.0


 NHS Borders
 1.5
 1.5
 0.0


 NHS Dumfries and Galloway
 2.2
 1.6
 0.6


 NHS Fife
 3.4
 2.5
 0.9


 NHS Forth Valley
 3.0
 3.0
 0.0


 NHS Grampian
 8.0
 8.0
 0.0


 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 17.5
 16.5
 1.0


 NHS Highland
 2.0
 2.0
 0.0


 NHS Lanarkshire
 3.9
 3.9
 0.0


 NHS Lothian
 8.9
 8.9
 0.0


 NHS Orkney
 0.0
 0.0
 0.0


 NHS Shetland
 0.0
 0.0
 0.0


 NHS Tayside
 5.3
 5.3
 0.0


 NHS Western Isles
 0.0
 0.0
 0.0



  Source: Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland.

NHS Services

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what transport provision is in place for day case patients who need to attend health appointments before 9 am and leave after 5 pm.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23342 on 11 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx

NHS Services

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions are in place for patients not eligible for patient transport services who require to use taxis and cannot afford to pay the fare before reclaiming it from the NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS boards have arrangements in place for dealing with requests for payments in advance to meet travel costs from any patient who is eligible for reimbursement of travelling expenses under the Patient Travelling Expenses Schemes. This will include, where considered appropriate, the costs of travel by taxi.

NHS Staff

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce its decision on the evaluation of the community health nurse pilot scheme.

Nicola Sturgeon: A decision on the future of community nursing services will be made once the full implications of the research, which is not expected to be concluded until the autumn of 2010, have been considered. However, ministers will also consider an interim evaluation report in December 2009.

NHS Staff

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the evaluation of the community health nurse pilot scheme is estimated to cost and to which organisation the contract has been awarded.

Nicola Sturgeon: The cost of the evaluation of the community health nurse pilots is yet to be determined as the contract for the evaluation is yet to be awarded.

  The timescale for the project was extended as the planning and transition phase has taken longer than originally anticipated.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the responses to the consultation that preceded the establishment of the Care Environment Inspectorate as part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: The responses to the consultation process on the establishment of the Care Environment Inspectorate will be published on the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland website.

National Parks

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the designation of a marine national park.

Richard Lochhead: Where communities are supportive, ministers will consider proposals for a Marine National Park once the work to improve the wider legislative framework for the marine environment is completed. The proposals for Scottish Marine Regions may fulfil some of the purposes of a marine national park and I would anticipate that the proposed Scottish Marine Regions will consider this issue.

Nuclear Energy

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Isle of Man Government regarding nuclear power, given the proximity of the Sellafield nuclear power plant.

Jim Mather: The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure & Climate Change attended the British-Irish Council meeting of 17 April 2009, at which the Irish and Manx governments were present, and during which the issue of the Sellafield nuclear power plant was raised.

  Ministers from the Irish and Manx Governments advised that they are close to completing a revised joint paper on Sellafield and radioactive waste. The paper will address current operations at Sellafield, the safety of those operations, the final disposal of radioactive waste and the control of environmental discharges. This topic will be given fuller discussion at the next ministerial level meeting of the council in 2010, at which Scottish ministers will be present.

Nursing

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional money was given to each participating NHS board to develop the community health nurse pilot scheme in 2008-09.

Nicola Sturgeon: The total additional funding provided in 2008-09 to each NHS health board participating in the community health nurse pilot is as follows.

  

 NHS Board
£


 NHS Borders
 122,000


 NHS Highland
 222,000


 NHS Lothian
 282,000


 NHS Tayside
 282,000

People with Learning Disabilities

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it recognises and accommodates the needs of people with learning disabilities entering acute care on an emergency or elective basis.

Shona Robison: The Fair for All agenda looks to ensure that whatever the individuals circumstances they have access to the right health services for their needs.

  Guidance entitled Achieving fair access was issued to the NHS in April 2007 and is available at http://www.healthscotland.com/documents/2033.aspx.

  Section 4 of the guidance covers accessible service delivery and section 4.4 provides advice on admission to health services.

  As a response to the recommendations of the fatal accident inquiries the Scottish Government asked NHS boards to prepare action plans for improvement to services. The plans show a range of actions that aim to ensure people with a learning disability are appropriately supported on admission to acute care.

Prescriptions

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce free prescriptions for cancer patients.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government intends to abolish prescription charges for everyone, no matter what condition they suffer from, on 1 April 2011. This will bring the position in Scotland into line with that in Wales where prescription charges were abolished in 2007 and also Northern Ireland where the intention is to abolish prescription charges in 2010. In April 2009, charges in Scotland were reduced for the second year in succession, benefiting all patients who require prescription medication. Year-on-year sales of Prescription Pre-payment Certificates more than doubled between 2007-08 and 2008-09 as a result of the reductions, providing even greater benefits for patients requiring regular medication.

Prison Service

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have been found guilty of committing a crime in HMP Edinburgh in each year since 1999.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Renewable Energy

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether records are kept of the constrained off payments made by the national grid for wind farm electricity generation in Scotland.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government does not hold information on constraints payments to wind farm generators in Scotland.

  I refer the member to the answers to questions S3W-23338 and S3W-23339 on 11 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Renewable Energy

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how much has been paid in constrained off payments by the national grid for wind farm electricity generation in Scotland in each of the last 12 months for which information is available.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government do not hold information on constraints payments to individual generators, or by type of generation.

  Due to the volume of generation and timeframe within which system constraints need to be addressed, we understand National Grid seek the quickest and lowest cost solution to resolving transmission constraints based on the terms and prices offered by generators and other alternative service providers, giving due regard to the operational circumstances prevailing. This typically means National Grid approach large conventional generators to help balance the system. Accordingly, we understand from National Grid that no payments have been made to wind farm generators.

Rural Development

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it has suspended the next round of applications to the Rural Priorities scheme.

Richard Lochhead: The applications process for Rural Priorities has not been closed or suspended. Applicants and agents may continue to submit proposals through the online applications system.

  We are currently considering the arrangements for the next assessment round for applications which have been submitted to Rural Priorities. In light of the success of the February assessment round, it has been necessary to look again at the planned assessment rounds for the remainder of the year.

  Any applicant who has put forward a proposal will have the opportunity to have their proposal considered in full at the next assessment round.

  We will make an announcement on the dates for future assessment rounds in the near future.

Rural Development

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what compensation will be payable to businesses that have already spent money drawing up applications for the next round of the Rural Priorities scheme.

Richard Lochhead: The applications process for Rural Priorities has not been closed or suspended. Applicants and agents may still submit proposals through the online applications system.

  Any applicant who has put forward a proposal will still have the opportunity to have their proposal considered in full at the next assessment round. Therefore no money or effort will have been wasted by applicants in preparing their applications.

  In light of the success of the February assessment round, we are currently considering the arrangements for the next assessment round for Rural Priorities and I will make an announcement on these arrangements in the near future.

Rural Development

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons applications to the Rural Priorities scheme have been suspended.

Richard Lochhead: The applications process for Rural Priorities has not been closed or suspended. Applicants and their agents may submit Statements of Intent or Proposals through the online applications system.

Rural Development

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for how long applications to the Rural Priorities scheme will be suspended.

Richard Lochhead: The application process for Rural Priorities has not been closed or suspended. Applicants and their agents may submit Statements of Intent or Proposals through the online applications system.

Rural Development

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the suspension of applications to the Rural Priorities scheme is related to the computer-driven application process.

Richard Lochhead: The applications process for Rural Priorities has not been closed or suspended. Applicants and their agents may continue to submit Statements of Intent or Proposals through the online applications system.

Rural Development

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Rural Priorities scheme funding has been allocated for 2009.

Richard Lochhead: A total of £49 million in Rural Priorities funding has been allocated, over the first four assessment rounds, for spend in 2009.

Rural Development

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when applications to the Rural Priorities scheme will reopen.

Richard Lochhead: The applications process for Rural Priorities has not been closed or suspended. Applicants and their agents may submit Statements of Intent or Proposals through the online applications system.

Rural Development

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding remains available for applications to the Rural Priorities scheme.

Richard Lochhead: The amount actually available for new commitments under Rural Priorities will depend on a number of factors, including the level of uptake for demand-led elements within the relevant budget headings, and any future policy changes.

  At the start of the SRDP, taking assumptions for the amount of spending on the other elements within the relevant budget headings, around £500 million was expected to be available for new commitments under Rural Priorities overall.

  So far we have committed nearly £125 million under the RPAC rounds to date, so assuming spend under other linked budget headings remains steady, there is about £375 million still to commit.

  However, in the light of UK budget outcome, there is no guarantee that the resources available for commitment under the SRDP will remain at currently anticipated levels. The Scottish Government will need to consider effects of UK budget on all its expenditures.

School Transport

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to local authorities regarding the transport to school of children who use wheelchairs and whether such guidance is the same for manual and electric wheelchairs.

Keith Brown: In Scotland, local authorities have a duty under the section 51 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make such arrangements as they consider necessary for the transport between home and school of pupils residing, and attending schools, in their area. In considering whether to make arrangements, authorities are required to have regard to the safety of each pupil and this includes children who are wheelchair users.

  School transport guidance was issued to local authorities by the Scottish Government in August 2003. It emphasises that it is for each local authority to negotiate the terms of contract for school transport and that they should place a number of responsibilities on the contractor. These include the need to ensure that staff and vehicles meet both statutory obligations and any additional guidance issued by the local authority. Such guidance should take account of local arrangements for transporting all wheelchair users and the legislative requirements for disability, accessibility, health and safety.

  Local authorities contact manufacturers directly to identify the required restraint system for each type of chair. The user manual for each wheelchair is provided to the user/carer at the time of issue. This gives manufacturer’s instructions on how to restrain wheelchair and occupant during transportation.

  As part of the project to modernise NHS Wheelchair Services, national standards are being produced for NHS providers that ensure key information is passed to all wheelchair users and their carers. Information provided will include guidance on transporting manual and power wheelchairs in public or in private transport.

Scientific Research

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that animal science is a priority for the economy.

Richard Lochhead: All science is a priority for the economy, as are higher and further education and outreach. However, the Scottish Government looks to the various science providers to come together in a co-ordinated way to provide maximum outcomes for the funds available.

Student Finance

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many higher education students have been declared bankrupt or have petitioned for bankruptcy in each of the last 10 years.

Fiona Hyslop: The following tables shows Scottish domiciled Student Loans Company (SLC) borrowers who have declared sequestration (been declared bankrupt) in each financial year from 1998-99 to 2007-08. This table includes both those who are currently undertaking higher education courses and those who have finished their studies.

  

 Financial Year in which Borrowers Entered Sequestration
 Number of SLC Borrowers Entering Sequestration


 1998-99
 75


 1999-2000
 110


 2000-01
 110


 2001-02
 135


 2002-03
 150


 2003-04
 205


 2004-05
 230


 2005-06
 320


 2006-07
 360


 2007-08
 320


 Total
 2,020



  Source: SLC.

  Notes:

  1. Student numbers have been rounded up or down to the nearest five.

  2. The figure are for Scottish domiciled borrowers only.

  3. The SLC does not hold details of those borrowers who are petitioning for sequestration.

  4. The figures include all those who have a loan product from the SLC or who have ever had one and have declared sequestration where the SLC has been notified of the sequestration.

  5. Those declaring IVA (Individual Voluntary Agreement) or Trust Deed are not included.

Swimming Pools

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimate is of the cost of the new 50-metre swimming pool in Aberdeen.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23233 on 8 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx

Vaccinations

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the New Zealand Government’s decision to make Tamiflu available over the counter in chemists to people exhibiting flu symptoms and whether it has considered taking similar measures to prevent the spread of swine flu.

Nicola Sturgeon: Licensing of medicines is a reserved matter and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Tamiflu is licensed as a prescription-only medicine.

  Antiviral medicines, including Tamiflu, are a key part of the response to an influenza pandemic and arrangements are being put in place in Scotland to allow the antiviral medicines Tamiflu and Relenza to be made available without a prescription should the need arise.

Vaccinations

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many doses of Tamiflu it has stockpiled.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has sufficient antivirals already stockpiled to cover 50% of the population – amounting to 2.3 million treatment courses. We intend to increase our stockpile to over four million treatment courses.

Waste Management

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the capacity of available facilities to safely capture and dispose of products containing ozone depleting substances (ODS), with particular reference to plastic foam insulation from steel-clad buildings, rather than this waste being sent to designated landfill sites.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21461 on 10 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .